Review: Madden NFL 15

From the moment you start playing, Madden NFL 15 looks good. Real good. And this is coming from a guy who can’t really stand the sport.

Popping Madden into the disc tray, you’re immediately thrown into a montage of football at its finest. Glistening hard biceps straining to catch a ball lobbed high into the air. Huge, icy breaths of air expelled into the atmosphere as athletes move to collide with one another. Bodies ragdolling – albeit very realistically – as two or three or even four large men prove that multiple objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

It’s glorious.

And then you realise you can’t skip the montage. And then you go through about 50 different training drills.

Now, don’t get me wrong – you can skip the training, but I wouldn’t advise doing so. You need the skills that are on offer, and moreso, you need to really get familiar with the game. Unless, I guess, you’re quite familiar with the franchise. Clearly, I am not.

After eventually slogging through the various offensive and defensive drills the game had to offer, I thought I would be indestructible. Not so; my first game of HUT was beyond embarrassing. You see, drills are one thing, and actual Madden football is another. My advice? Don’t trust the in-game coach and its one (default) play suggestion. Go full-pelt and ask for three suggestions, or better yet, just run your own plays. You’ll thank me when you realise the freedom of actual choice.

Best yet, you’ll feel like an absolute legend when you pick your own play and then, as the quarterback, throw an amazing snap that leads to a long run down the field and an epic touchdown.

At any rate, I moved past drills and into actual gameplay, and Madden’s cracks started to show. With more players on the field, I saw good and bad. The game’s physics are absolutely amazing; it’s great fun to watch what happens when a ton of players all barrel into each other. I’ve seen some amazingly huge men flip through the air like you wouldn’t believe, both as a result of awful collisions AND amazing dodges alike.

Flips aside, I swear that every single player in the game has the same arms. Like, we’re talking identical at every level: the same triceps, the same biceps and the same dimensions. Once you notice it, you can’t ever NOT notice it. In short, it’s freaky.

Worse yet, compared to the demo of NHL 15, Madden NFL 15’s broadcast presentation is lacking. Announcers sound canned and boring. In-game overlays are bland and boring. Worse yet, I couldn’t figure out a way to skip the mid-game presentation that happens after the second quarter. It was awful. Players themselves seem to be animated from some jerky – movement-, not attitude-wise – mocap actors.

Presentation issues aside, the game has it all – online play, Ultimate Teams, a ton of training and user-created content that will give you a ton of replay value. Madden NFL 15 is a tight little package that is perfect for those returning after a lengthy absence, or for those interested in football but new to the franchise itself. Obviously, like every other game that’s cross-platform, you’re going to want to grab this one on PS4 or Xbox One.

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